SPARC is creating a place to explore whole body integrative systems physiology. The components driving the SPARC Portal, such as the SCKAN knowledge base, data repository, spatial mapping tools and organ scaffolds are capable of supporting a wide range of other physiological systems, including the vasculature, lymphatics and neuro-musculoskeletal systems. SCKAN is a semantic store housing a comprehensive knowledge base of autonomic nervous system (ANS) nerve to end organ connectivity derived from contributed data and scientific literature. Datasets are augmented with viewers, maps, and integrated computational platforms, making the Portal much more than a data repository.
SCKAN Composer is a web application authoring interface that permits display, inspection, and knowledge formulation for SCKAN additions, as well as the ability to query and augment knowledge information within SCKAN. Composer breaks down this complex operation into a series of steps that can be assigned to teams with specific permissions and roles. It is developed by the UCSD FDI lab and MetaCell. Users gain access to the application by logging in with their ORCiD.
- Sentences are evaluated to ascertain relevance for inclusion in SCKAN on a number of criteria.
- Connectivity statements composed from multiple sources are reviewed by anatomical experts prior to inclusion in SCKAN.
- Composer provides a means to triage, compose, translate, and validate connectivity.
Composer has 2 main views: Sentences and Statements. As NLP results are added as sentences, the list is sortable and assignable by the triage operator. The curator operating on the sentence reviews the cited paper, and makes tags and notes to provide add context and relevance. Records can be added manually, which allows anyone to propose connections to integrate.
